ZANU PF mouthpiece Christopher Mutsvangwa let the truth slip out Tuesday. President Mnangagwa kicked army boss Anselem Sanyatwe out last week because he wanted to cut Vice President Chiwenga off from his military friends. This power play shows the growing fight between the two men who once worked together to take over Zimbabwe's government.
Sanyatwe lost his powerful military job but landed as Sports Minister after Kirsty Coventry left to run the International Olympic Committee. Lieutenant General Emmanuel Matatu stepped into the army leadership role instead. Everyone knows Matatu stays loyal to Mnangagwa, not Chiwenga. The president made these quick changes right before war veteran Blessed Geza called for protests on March 31.
Mutsvangwa praised these sudden leadership switches when talking to reporters. He said the president needed trustworthy people to run things as the protest date came closer. The spokesman himself wants to be president someday and hates Chiwenga. Someone even recorded him calling the Vice President stupid, unelectable, and mean.
Politics experts say Mnangagwa keeps replacing military leaders to protect himself from anyone trying to push him out the way he pushed Robert Mugabe out years ago. Pride Mkono pointed out the president fears the army might turn against him. Geza hides from the police but keeps posting videos telling people Mnangagwa must go and that Chiwenga should lead the country.
The planned protests fizzled out, with people staying home instead of marching. Police arrested about 98 citizens anyway, claiming they wanted to cause trouble. Most Zimbabweans just watched everything happen online from safety. The government tried telling everyone that Sanyatwe got promoted to minister, but nobody believed that story. Mnangagwa keeps putting his friends in charge of everything that matters as he fights to stay in power.
Sanyatwe lost his powerful military job but landed as Sports Minister after Kirsty Coventry left to run the International Olympic Committee. Lieutenant General Emmanuel Matatu stepped into the army leadership role instead. Everyone knows Matatu stays loyal to Mnangagwa, not Chiwenga. The president made these quick changes right before war veteran Blessed Geza called for protests on March 31.
Mutsvangwa praised these sudden leadership switches when talking to reporters. He said the president needed trustworthy people to run things as the protest date came closer. The spokesman himself wants to be president someday and hates Chiwenga. Someone even recorded him calling the Vice President stupid, unelectable, and mean.
Politics experts say Mnangagwa keeps replacing military leaders to protect himself from anyone trying to push him out the way he pushed Robert Mugabe out years ago. Pride Mkono pointed out the president fears the army might turn against him. Geza hides from the police but keeps posting videos telling people Mnangagwa must go and that Chiwenga should lead the country.
The planned protests fizzled out, with people staying home instead of marching. Police arrested about 98 citizens anyway, claiming they wanted to cause trouble. Most Zimbabweans just watched everything happen online from safety. The government tried telling everyone that Sanyatwe got promoted to minister, but nobody believed that story. Mnangagwa keeps putting his friends in charge of everything that matters as he fights to stay in power.
